The use of vehicle barrier devices having a gate arm to control the passage of vehicles thereby is well known and is used in such applications as parking lots and garages, gated communities, highway toll plazas and the like. A typical vehicle barrier device is one having a gate arm that is mechanically operated, either automatically or by an attendant, to permit the passage of a vehicle thereby by raising the gate arm from a horizontal position across the front of the vehicle to a vertical position out of the path of the vehicle. The gate arm itself is typically made from a suitable rigid structural material such as wood and the like. Wooden gate arms are traditionally preferred because of their relatively low cost.
It is not uncommon for the gate arm of such device to be broken by contact with a vehicle, that has passed by the device when the gate arm was in a lowered position. When this occurs, the device must be repaired in order to continue serving as a vehicle barrier. The repair operation usually consists of replacing the gate arm with a new gate arm, however, can consist of bracing the broken portion of the existing gate aim. In either case, the repair requires that either a new gate arm be available to replace the broken gate arm, or that materials be readily available to brace the existing broken gate arm.
In most cases, the device operator does not have a replacement new gate arm or adequate repair materials in their immediate inventory due to the cost associated with such an undertaking. Therefore, the operator must order the replacement gate arm from the device manufacture, which can take weeks depending on its inventory and geographical location. During this period of time the device is unable to serve as a vehicle barrier, thereby allowing vehicle to pass freely through the otherwise controlled area. This can present both a security risk, in those applications where the device functions to permit the passage of only authorized vehicles into an otherwise secure area such as a gated community, and result in a loss of revenue, in those applications where the device functions to permit the passage of vehicles after a parking fee or toll is collected such as a parking lot or garage, or a highway toll booth.
Once the replacement gate arm is obtained, the replacement or repair operation is often time consuming and can require the assistance of more than one person. The replacement or repair operation also requires that the device be taken out of service and usually that the vehicle path by the device be blocked for some period of time during the operation.
It is, therefore, desirable that a device be constructed that is adapted for use with a vehicle barrier device to spare a gate arm of the device from serious damage when contacted by a passing vehicle. It is desired that the device be constructed in a manner that facilitates an easy and rapid repair after a gate arm has been struck and rendered inoperable by a passing vehicle. It is also desirable that the device be constructed so that any replacement part be both small in size, to facilitate easy and space efficient storage, and enable the repair operation to be carried out by one person by hand and without the need for tools.